Living for the Dead
by TheSullenPrincess
Summary: After the events that left her shaken at Gerudo Desert, Zelda decides it's time to start living. And there's no better time to start living than on the day meant for the dead. (Pregame BoTW)


Disclaimer: Do not own The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, or any of its characters.

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Living for the Dead

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They'd arrived at the castle late in the afternoon, just in time for supper. Neither talked about the attempt on her life at the hands of the Yiga since departing Gerudo Desert but Zelda had made it abundantly clear to Link he was not to tell anyone—_especially_ her father. Link had reluctantly agreed, although, not without putting up a decent argument. And despite their harrowing adventures earlier in the day, the princess managed to smile, eat, and hold a polite conversation, answering her father's queries about their trip while simultaneously shooting Link small pointed stares over the rim of her water glass. Halfway through the meal, however, Zelda excused herself, claiming to be tired from her travels and bid her father a good night before departing.

Link didn't know if that was really the case or if the events from that morning were just now starting to affect her. He had just summoned the nerve to ask when she'd stiffly dismissed him for the night and shut the door behind her without a backward glance. Link stood there, staring at the fine grains in the solid wood door for a while before turning on his heel and—with nothing else to do, did as he was told, retreating to his chambers to eat.

It was almost an hour after he'd departed when an attendant stopped by his door on orders of the princess that required Link to see Zelda in her chambers immediately. Right away his senses were on high alert. Never had she done that before. In fact, Link was used to not hearing from her until morning once she was in her room for the night. The feeling that something wasn't right was finally realized when he'd barely stepped inside her room and Zelda said, "I need you to be my escort at tonight's festival," not even giving Link a chance to bid her a good evening. As if he could do anything but stare at her wide-eyed.

She had just finished braiding her long hair and was in the process of pinning it to the base of her skull and, when she got no response back, turned to her knight, narrowing her eyes at him in annoyance. "You _can_ do that, can't you?"

The look of her eyes—still green, thankfully—helped Link reel in his surprise. He nodded distractedly.

Apparently satisfied, Zelda swiveled back around to face her vanity's mirror, twisting her neck this way and that to make sure the dye she'd concocted from dried rushroom and razorshroom caps, a Bokoblin's horn, swift violet, and armoranth petals masked every blonde strand of hair. The outcome was a very dark purple color that wouldn't look out of place in the growing darkness outside. A frown lightly marred her features for a moment when two forelocks of hair escaped the hairpins she'd set to hold them back, only to now frame her face. Zelda sighed and turned back around to face Link. She said, "I know you must have a lot of questions regarding, well, everything—" she followed up the statement with a wave of her hand over herself "—but I must request you hold off on asking any right now. There isn't much time until the guards switch off for the next shift and I… I need your assistance getting out of the castle, Link."

The knight knew the moment she had uttered his name—with a clear hint of distress in her voice that he would wind up helping her. He just failed to know _why_. What the princess was asking for was both dangerous and stupid. She'd barely gotten out of the barren desert unharmed and now she wanted to try her luck in an overcrowded festival?

He was ready to try and talk her out of leaving when Link warily took in Zelda's appearance. The thought that must have gone into picking out her outfit to look the part of an ordinary commoner alone must have been a carefully planned move. A plain loose white blouse, a blue ankle-length skirt, dark brown riding gloves, and a matching pair of simple brown leather boots. Not to mention she'd been studying the soldiers at the gate for quite some time to learn their patrolling patterns, leading Link to believe Zelda was serious about her endeavors and had put a lot of effort into her escape plan. Then another, more frightening realization: Had she been thinking about doing this for some time now? Or was this due to recent events? And if not for those same events in the desert, would Zelda not have confided in him to aid her in her escape, and instead, taken off on her own?

It was a thought Link wouldn't dwell on for too long. He was just thankful she hadn't slipped out without telling him. It was clear to him—from her new darkened hair to her clothes—that regardless of his answer the princess was going to find a way to get to Castle Town with or without his help. At least with his help, he would make sure she was safe. But if they were found out, there would be serious consequences. Zelda would surely get a grueling lecture from her father, perhaps be banned from setting foot outside for a while, and Link... Could he even _be_ imprisoned? He _was_ the only one able to wield the darkness sealing sword, after all. Perhaps, he reasoned, _after_ the events of the Calamity he'd find himself behind bars. Until then, his mother and father would surely give him a good tongue lashing for his actions.

With his made up, Link went to work shedding his blue Champion's tunic and pulling off the Master Sword and the harnesses around his torso—keeping his tan undershirt and a much smaller blade strapped to his hip—and placed his removed items in a drawer Zelda had offered him. The two would only make him stand out like a sore thumb and give them away easily. He worked fast, noting she was right about there being no time to waste. Link would have been impressed with her keen sense of observation if he hadn't been equally terrified, and reminded himself to speak to his father about less-obvious rotation schedules after this was all done.

The princess, meanwhile, had set about putting the finishing touches to her room. She'd locked the doors and windows and snuffed out all the candles and lanterns to give the room a darkened appearance, with only the faintest bit of moonlight filtering in through the windows to offer illumination. Yet despite the darkness, Link could still make out a figure on the bed. The lump was simply a mass of pillows and clothes Zelda had stuffed under the sheets. He had to smirk. The size was far too large to be the princess. He'd spent enough nights camping with her in the wild to know otherwise.

But Link simply nodded before eyeing her once more. Even with the long sleeve blouse she wore, the thin material would not be enough to stave off the chill the night would bring. He grabbed a heavy, floor-length wool cloak from the coatrack as they passed by and stuck it out at her.

Zelda shook her head, the dark strands framing her face moved with the movement in a double negative. "I don't need it."

"Take it," he demanded.

"I will move much faster without it—"

"You either take it or we don't leave," he sternly told her. In hindsight, perhaps aggressively ordering the Princess of Hyrule had not been the best tactic for getting her to take Link more seriously—though it was a great way to drown himself in guilt—and would've never gotten away with talking to her like that in the past had Zelda not needed his help now. As it were, she begrudgingly grabbed the cloak and fastened it angrily at the neck. The material was a rich, dark, forest green color that looked expensive even under the little light the moon provided but Link hoped it wouldn't look so noticeable under the cover of darkness. Two slits below two deep-set pockets in the front allowed Zelda free movement of her arms when she stuck them through, not bothering to pull up the hood just yet. The last thing she did was grab a simple leather belt she'd left hanging off the back of a sofa and buckled it loosely around her waist, a coin purse filled with rupees was already attached to it, along with grabbing a wicker basket from off a nearby table.

Link rose a curious brow. Was she planning on having a picnic? He was just about to question her motives when he ultimately decided against it. She'd promised him answers at a later time. He would just have to be patient.

"Here you are demanding that I keep warm yet I fail to see _you_ do the same," Zelda whispered just as Link cracked open the door wide enough to peer out. The whole hall was silent and dark save for a few torches burning to help navigate their path. He peered down at her. While it was true that his own long sleeve shirt and trousers were not exactly up to par with the weather outside, he figured he'd be okay all the same. There was no reason to leave her alone when Link could probably withstand the cold, at least until he could find a stand that sold Cold Resistant Elixirs.

"You're going to catch your death out there wearing just that," she side-eyed him. "I'll wait here until you return—"

"I'll be fine. It's not even winter yet."

"Merely autumn," Zelda said dryly. "Anything outside?"

It was clear to him she was anxious to get a move on so he did just that, leading her by the hand out the door and down two flights of stairs, through a secret passage, down more stairs and a few corridors. Neither spoke as they hid in the shadows, waiting for the guards at the gate to switch off. Through it all, Link would have been lying to himself if he couldn't admit escaping from the castle this late at night and in secret—_with the princess, no less!_ —didn't give him a rush of excitement. How long had it been since he'd done something so exhilarating, so spontaneous? Link couldn't even remember. He wouldn't let his delight go to his head, however. Even without his tunic and sword Link was still Princess Zelda's appointed knight, and that meant vigilance was of the utmost importance.

It wasn't until they stood safely past the gate that divided Hyrule Castle and Castle Town that Zelda let out a tiny squeal of joy. The heart of the city lay before them, heavily bathed in the soft light of lanterns and already buzzing with people, while the outskirts of the town stretched on into the distance. Link had been to Castle Town many times before, of course—even living there at one point—but he was certain the princess had rarely had the opportunity to wander the busy city—as nothing would have pertained to her training, nor her studies with the ancient tech. There wouldn't have been a reason for her to be in the city even if she wanted to be.

But the thing was, she _did_ want to, if only for one night. Link decided he'd have to make it a special one—one she wouldn't soon forget. Elation bubble within him. But before he could so much as take a step forward, a hand wrapped around his elbow, steering him away from the commotion and towards an open gate and a looming stone arch. The words 'Castle Town Graveyard', were inscribed in Hylian on a wooden plaque beside it.

"There's something I need to do first," Zelda answered his unspoken question. She'd pulled up her hood's cloak the minute they were outside. In case they were stopped, he'd guessed, but now Link thought it had more to do with the frigid temperature and ever-blowing wind. He hadn't felt it before but he could sure feel it now as the adrenaline in his body slowly left him like a dying campfire. The warmth radiating from her thick cloak felt pleasant though he tried not to let on how comforting it all was when Zelda settled her arm more comfortably in the crook of his arm. Even so, Link should have guessed she'd figure him out when she said, "I'd bet everything you're wishing we'd gone back for your cloak now, huh?" and tugged at his sleeve closest to her.

He couldn't help but counter smugly with, "I would have grabbed it if _someone_ hadn't been so anxious to leave."

Zelda gasped in mock offense and nudged her shoulder with his. Link desperately tried—and failed—to hold back his laugh. This side of her—It was fascinating him to no end. Already she seemed more relaxed, more like a girl her own age instead of the princess with shoulder bearing responsibilities. Out here, there were no schedules to keep, no people to please, no guards to weigh her down. The grin on her face spoke volumes and Link found himself sharing her sentiments exactly. Tonight, they were both free to revel in their newfound freedom. The night was still young and entirely theirs.

Squeezing her arm lightly, Link decided to give up on etiquette and propriety, at least for one night. Tomorrow he'd go back to serving Princess Zelda as her dutiful Champion Knight who rarely spoke and never strayed from royal protocol. But tonight, he could afford to let his walls down and talk and joke and reach for her like a long lost friend. He was already marveling at the way their close proximity to each other didn't seem to faze the other, like they'd been doing this long before that night. Link found the acclimation to be as easy as simply breathing.

"I did say I'd wait for you to retrieve it," she was saying over the sounds of leaves crunching underfoot. "_You_ were just too worried I'd run away if you left me alone, weren't you?"

"You do have a track record for disappearing quite often, Princess." Link gave her a pointed look.

Zelda laughed. "Quite right. However, it wouldn't have made sense to ask for your help only to run away on my own. Besides, it seems I've learned my lesson."

Her refusal to meet his eyes, combined with her sullen words left him feeling breathless. It was the first time Zelda acknowledged that her actions could have had severe consequences. Namely, ceasing to exist.

Without realizing, Link gripped her small gloved hand in his own, willing to let the impact of his words bring her a sense of comfort. "You're safe now, Princess."

"I know," she smiled shyly, gripping his hand back before letting go. "Thank you."

Link wondered if perhaps now was a good time to bring up why she had felt the need to leave the castle as they continued on the worn dirt path that led them deeper into the graveyard, which was lit by small lanterns that hung up on the branches of passing trees. He had his suspicions but in the end, decided against asking.

Which was just as well as it seemed the princess had other things on her mind. "How it is that you know so much about the ins and outs of the castle, anyway? I've lived there all my life and had never known about the hidden trap door that led down into the cellar!"

He mulled over whether to tell her or not that when he'd been appointed her personal guard, Link had actually been given a thorough review of all secret passageways in and out of the castle by his father, who was Head Guard—a standard procedure for those assigned to the safety of a member of the Royal Family. Memorizing the blueprints to such an enormous place like Hyrule Castle for countless hours had not been fun but he could now at least say the time had paid off, though, not in the way he imagined originally.

In the end, Link simply shrugged. "It's my job."

"You must show them all to me one day."

_Very doubtful, Princess_, he wanted to say. Link couldn't even imagine the stunts she'd pull with that kind of information, even if she claimed to have changed her ways. "One day," he fibbed and left it at that.

* * *

The land was still and quiet with only the barest of noises, mainly the creaking of branches and leaves rustling on the ground. Its expansive rows of headstones, statues, trees and unkempt dirt paths rolled on into the distance, illuminated by the faint blue glow of endless Silent Shrooms that dotted the grounds. But only one grave mattered tonight, as two white columns that bore the Hyrulean Royal Crest on each loomed above everything else, signaling the entrance to the Royal Family's walled-off section of the graveyard. The queen's mausoleum was near the rear of the plot surrounded by blue nightshade and swift violets—her favorite flowers, Zelda had said. Wrought-iron gates were opened wide now as the princess sat inside.

With arms tightly crossed over his chest, Link tried to keep himself warm as best he could without noticeably rubbing them or bouncing on the balls of his feet. He didn't want to admit she'd been right about putting something over his simple linen shirt and apparently thinnest pair of pants he owned before they'd left the castle in a hurry. Link was willing to do a lot of things. But admitting to Zelda that he was cold after she'd told him to bring a coat was not one of them.

He also couldn't tell Zelda she'd been right—especially not after _he_ had chided _her_ about putting on something warm herself. It did not help matters that the wind seemed determined to further prove her point that it was no longer summer by blowing cold air all around, wrapping itself against Link like a begging Hylian retriever. The air was crisp and cool, especially this time in the evening. The breeze wasn't too strong but it was frequent, and he gripped himself tighter. Breathing in the air, feeling the icy burning sensation in his throat and down to his lungs, hurt. The knight tried pulling the decorative edged collar of his tan shirt up to shield his nose, only for it to barely cover his mouth. He didn't want to complain, though—pride would not let him, mostly—but also because he knew better than to interrupt Princess Zelda's devotions in the silent graveyard.

While Hallowtide traditions differed between those of the Royal Family and where Link had grown up in Hateno, the young man knew enough that it wasn't proper to disturb anyone in prayer for any reason—that went double for Zelda as she continued to kneel, with head bowed and eyes closed before her mother's grave marker. The Hungry Ghost Festival Castle Town put on every year was a way for folks to honor their dead during Hallowtide by ritually washing their grave and leaving meaningful offerings. And while the Royal Family had people to routinely clean the inside of the former queen's resting place, the princess had remembered to bring some items to honor the memory of her mother.

It was a selfish thought, but Link wished the princess would hurry and finish her thoughts so they could head over to the festival and get something hot to eat and drink. Hoping Zelda was too lost in reverence to hear him, he rubbed his arms and bounced his body slightly for warmth. And when that didn't seem to do anything more than shorten his patience, the knight was again reminded that she'd been right.

Link's gaze found itself coming back to Zelda's still features. Although he had never met the late queen personally, he could vaguely recall a handful of times where a beautiful woman had occasionally accompanied the king while he checked on the knights in training. Link, being a child at the time, would oftentimes sit on the sidelines to watch the knights fight, daydreaming of the day he would follow in his father's footsteps and join the Royal Army. It was during one of these instances that he remembered seeing Her Majesty standing beside her husband. She would always smile at everyone in a friendly manner, dressed from head to toe in the most expensive of silks and furs and hair always neatly pinned back, save for a few stray strands of golden hair that refused to lay anywhere but in front of her emerald green eyes. Link could immediately tell now that that was where Zelda's rebellious hair had learned how to evade hair clips, as they dangled free to brush across her rosy cheeks, much to his amusement and the princess's daily frustrations.

His gaze slid to the late queen's tomb. The inside—off-limits to anyone but King Rhoam and Princess Zelda and a select few others—was bare except for a purple shawl inscribed with the Royal Family Crest, a bowl of water, a small lit candle, and a single Silent Princess, all of which Zelda had pulled out from the basket. She had seemed sheepish pulling out the last item, as the flower was an endangered species, but proceeded to present her mother with it, now sitting in the bowl as the princess continued praying. The outside of the mausoleum was decorated with an assortment of different flowers piled into mountains and small food offerings like candies, stalks of rice and wheat, cane sugar, apples, hydromelons, palm fruits, wild berries, lotus seeds, voltfruit, hearty radishes, truffles, and herbs. There were also handmade jewelry and trinkets made of blue seashells, the bodies of darners, beetles, and fireflies. The gifts went on that in the end, it wasn't hard to see why the late queen had been so loved by all if the kind and gentle woman in Link's memories were anything to go by.

Most of the items only grew in certain places in Hyrule, he noticed, running a deft finger over the underside of an electric safflina petal. That meant some had traveled as far away as Gerudo Desert to come pay their respects. This didn't surprise the knight at all, as Zelda had once said her mother was especially loved by the Gerudo warriors—as the former queen had been a treasured friend of the current chieftain, Urbosa. So it was no wonder then why Urbosa had been so livid after hearing of the failed attempt on the princess's life. It was obvious the Gerudo Champion would do anything to protect her treasured friend's only daughter at all costs.

Link suddenly wondered if he had done the right thing by not saying anything on the events at the desert when another hellish gust blew past, making him grit his teeth to bear the blow as best he could. Safe to say he no longer cared whether or not he'd done the right thing. What was done was done. Link supposed kidnapping the princess from her home in the middle of the night was much worse anyway…

The longer he stood waiting, the longer he felt like he was supposed to say something, too. Link rocked nervously from side to side, not sure of what to say or even how to begin. There wasn't much he knew about Princess Zelda's mother outside of the few things the princess had told him, which wasn't much, and what little he remembered of her. The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if maybe he wasn't supposed to say anything at all. Perhaps he was just supposed to remain politely silent. But the queen had been so important to Zelda, and Zelda was important to him, so Link felt like he should at least try.

Straightening his posture, Link bowed his head, just enough that he could still view the princess from under his lashes. _Uh, you don't know who I am, Your Majesty, and you're probably wondering why I'm here. Your daughter has probably never mentioned me, and that's okay. If she had, I'd honestly be very surprised. _He mentally chuckled._ My name is Link, I am the princess's appointed knight. And although our partnership hasn't always been the smoothest, I can now say with certainty that things have looked up. She wants what's best for everyone, and I want what's best for her. Because of this, I vow to protect her with my life. I know there's probably no reason for me to say anything… But I just…I wanted to. If anything, I wanted to say thank you for bringing her into this world. She is a really smart and kind person. Someone I would gladly give my life for in Hyrule's darkest hour. You have got nothing to worry about. I promise I'll be there for her always._

Off to the side, Link saw Zelda lift her head and open her eyes just as he did, too.

"Thank you for waiting," she said, reverent eyes still canted toward her mother's grave. Gloved fingers lightly traced over the engravings on the granite's surface. "Pardon if it was too long."

"It's no problem, Princess. It wouldn't have mattered if it was," Link replied. A small white lie because he was pretty sure his body would have gone into hypothermia if she had just decided to be a minute longer. He brightly smiled as he approached to help her stand and added, "The festival next, Princess?"

Zelda smiled back and nodded, catching the excitement in his tone. She bent down to blow out the candle and pick up her basket as well as dust off the knees of her cloak. "I presume you are in need of some warm food by now?"

"Not at all." Link tilted his head up in obstinacy.

"Is that so?" Zelda questioned, making a show of her disbelief as she and Link proceeded back to the cemetery gates. "My, you have quite the will to endure such a cold night. I say, it's greater than my own," she said, pulling the hood of her cloak back over her head again.

"It's not that cold," Link flat out lied now, trying not to shiver.

Zelda hummed absently, looking at the trees as they passed. The leaves were a beautiful array of rich gold, red, orange, and even purple, all fully visible under the light of the moon and lanterns. "Lovely foliage this year, don't you think? Much more impressive than last year's downright pitiful display."

At once Link knew what she was doing. He knew what the princess was trying to get him to say, even by seemingly talking about something else. He was very familiar with this tactic of hers—it was how she would get him to open up sometimes when he refused to talk. Link was stubborn, yes, and more often than not, Zelda was right, but he eventually would figure that out and just refuse to admit it until he and she had a dance of words and Link would finally give in.

And it was about time he gave in, he reluctantly figured, digging his nails into the palms of his hands as the wind swept past them.

"Fine. _I'm cold._"

Zelda's giggle was carried off by the well-timed gust. "Given that it _is_ a bit unseasonably cool this Hallowtide, I do not consider that surprising at all." Link was not sure if she was smiling, as he refused to look at her, but judging by her tone it was a possibility.

He braced himself for the inevitable lecture to come. "You can go on and say it."

"Pardon?" She asked. "Now whatever could you be referring to, Link?"

_Oh._ There was no doubt she was definitely smiling now. "Playing dumb does not suit you, Princess. We both know you're much smarter than I."

"I appreciate the compliment Link, however, I truly don't understand what it is that you mean."

"Tell me again how I should have gone for my cloak," Link grunted. "How I should have used common sense. How you were right and I was wrong. Let me have it. I deserve it."

"If you know all of this then there is no reason for me to say anything, right?"

"But I was wrong—"

"About the weather, Link," the princess said, calmly and measured with patience. "Everything between us is still okay."

That was not how Link had imagined things to go. He had expected a reprimand. He had expected to be told in detail just how much out of line he'd been for ordering the princess around. He expected her to tell him she told him so because she was correct and he was wrong. He expected to get what he deserved in return. He expected it because their partnership in the past had always worked exactly like that.

But if Zelda wasn't going to scold him, did that mean things were starting to get better between them? Were things going to change from now on? For the better?

Given that she did have a point and there was nothing she could say that Link had not already figured out or felt on his goosefleshed skin, he still felt like an apology was in order. "I'm sorry for what I said back at the castle, and _how_ I said it," Link murmured, bowing his head. "There is no excuse for how I addressed you earlier, Princess."

"Sometimes I need a good reminding to let me know it's for my own good. If not for your insistence, I would be standing here freezing! Much like you are now," she smirked.

Link looked away and smiled sheepishly. "I should've grabbed my cloak."

"Yes, I believe you should." Zelda stopped just outside the cemetery gates. Taking notice, Link paused mid-step and turned to watch the princess as she opened up the basket's lid and pulled out a familiar-looking dark shape from it, holding it out for Link to take. It was a second cloak.

The knight was speechless. His mouth hung open the entire time. He stared briefly at the robe and then peered into Zelda's bright green eyes. "I knew you wouldn't have a cloak on your person when you came to see me. I also figured you'd refuse to go and grab it so I prepared accordingly," she explained as Link finally accepted it. "There. That's bound to be beneficial to staving off the chill. It must have been unbearable standing in this cold with nothing to protect you as I prayed."

Tipping his head downward in an attempt to hide his blush, Link slipped on the robe. It was black and made of heavy wool, similar in design as Zelda's that he guessed it was actually one of hers. He was floored. "I don't deserve your kindness, but… Thank you…"

"You saved my life, Link," Zelda's voice took on a more gentle tone. Her eyes did too as she stared unwaveringly at him. "If not for you, I wouldn't be here right now. And after how awful I was to you in the past..." She sighed with remorse. "I am sorry for...everything. I know a cloak is hardly adequate compensation for what you did—"

"It's perfect. Thank you." He smiled gratefully.

"You're welcome," the princess said, smiling in return before they resumed their walk. The noises, lights, and smells steadily grew in volume the further they made their way onward to the festival. "You know, stubbornness is kin to determination, and is often only distinguished by perception," Zelda drawled. "I must say, you do select the oddest matters to proverbially dig your heels in, don't you?"

"Reminds me of someone I know," Link countered, grinning before casually shrugging his shoulders. "But yes, I thought I was right. A cloak really was a stupid reason to argue over."

"Our words were hardly heated or tense so I don't believe we could consider that a true argument," she assured. "I would say it was merely a mild disagreement."

"Still, I'll buy a pie in apology."

"An apology pie!" Link laughed at her mocking tone. "There is no need for you to go through the trouble, as I have long since forgiven you. Besides, you should purchase one with the intent of enjoying it, not to appease. But knowing you, you were already going to get one anyway."

Link managed to laugh harder.

* * *

I really meant to put this up earlier in October but a case of writer's block seriously delayed my efforts. Better late than never, though, right?! I hope you enjoyed!


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